Methods and apparatus for dynamically configuring search operations in a multi-mode device

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for dynamic search management in a multi-mode device. In one embodiment, a mobile device performs network search and acquisition by dynamically changing search delays and/or search frequencies. In one implementation, the mobile device adjusts the amount of time allocated for each network search based on e.g., previous network connection history (e.g., previously connected to a home network, previously connected to a roaming network), device conditions, user preferences, geographical information, etc. By focusing search effort on cellular technologies which have a high likelihood of success, the mobile device can greatly improve search time and reduce unnecessary power consumption.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A wireless mobile device comprising:
 at least one wireless interface; and 
 processing circuitry comprising one or more processors and memory storing instructions that when executed cause the wireless mobile device to:
 identify geographic information relating to a previously active network connection and a present geographic coordinate of the wireless mobile device; 
 determine a home search behavior or a roaming search behavior based at least in part on the geographic information; 
 execute the home search behavior, comprising a single-network search mode, to search for a home network for a home network time duration, when the wireless mobile device was previously connected to the home network for the previously active network connection; and 
 execute the roaming search behavior, comprising the single-network search mode, to search for one of one or more roaming networks for a roaming network time duration, when the wireless mobile device was previously connected to the one of the one or more roaming networks for the previously active network connection. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The wireless mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further cause the wireless mobile device to:
 connect to the home network upon expiration of the home network time duration, when the home search behavior successfully executes; 
 connect to the one of the one or more roaming networks upon expiration of the roaming network time duration, when the roaming search behavior successfully executes; and 
 execute a multi-network search behavior for a multi-network time duration, when the home search behavior or the roaming search behavior does not successfully execute. 
 
     
     
       3. The wireless mobile device of  claim 2 , wherein the multi-network search behavior comprises searching for at least one of the one or more roaming networks based at least in part on the present geographic coordinate matching a roaming geographic coordinate of the at least one of the one or more roaming networks. 
     
     
       4. The wireless mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the geographic information comprises one or more of:
 geographic information obtained from a Wi-Fi beacon, 
 Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates, 
 a user preference, or 
 historical information based on previous communication by the wireless mobile device. 
 
     
     
       5. The wireless mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the home network time duration and the roaming network time duration are based at least in part on a configurable number of single-network search mode scans. 
     
     
       6. The wireless mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the roaming network time duration equals zero to allow the wireless mobile device to immediately switch to a multi-network search behavior. 
     
     
       7. The wireless mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the previously active network connection comprises a network connection selected by the wireless mobile device from a plurality of network connections based at least in part on a parameter related to one or more of: (i) a frequency of occurrence, or (ii) a session duration associated with occurrence of the network connection within a time period. 
     
     
       8. The wireless mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless mobile device selects at least one of the one or more roaming networks based at least in part on a deployment density of the at least one of the one or more roaming networks at the present geographic coordinate exceeding a deployment density of at least one other roaming network of the one or more roaming networks at the present geographic coordinate. 
     
     
       9. The wireless mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the home network and the one or more roaming networks each comprise: (i) a CDMA2000 network, (ii) a GSM network, or (iii) a WCDMA network. 
 
     
     
       10. A method for a wireless mobile device to search for a suitable network connection among multiple networks, the method comprising:
 by the wireless mobile device:
 identifying geographic information relating to a previously active network connection and a present geographic coordinate of the wireless mobile device; 
 determining a home search behavior or a roaming search behavior based at least in part on the geographic information; 
 executing the home search behavior, comprising a single-network search mode, to search for a home network for a home network time duration, when the wireless mobile device was previously connected to the home network for the previously active network connection; and 
 executing the roaming search behavior, comprising the single-network search mode, to search for one of the one or more roaming network for a roaming network time duration, when the wireless mobile device was previously connected to the one of the one or more roaming networks for the previously active network connection. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising
 connecting to the home network upon expiration of the home network time duration, when the home search behavior successfully executes; 
 connecting to the one of the one or more roaming networks upon expiration of the roaming network time duration, when the roaming search behavior successfully executes; and 
 executing a multi-network search behavior for a multi-network time duration, when the home search behavior or the roaming search behavior does not successfully execute. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the multi-network search behavior comprises searching for at least one of the one or more roaming networks based at least in part on the present geographic coordinate matching a roaming geographic coordinate of the at least one of the one or more roaming networks. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the home search behavior and the roaming search behavior are based at least in part on a determination that a likelihood of locating the home network within the home network time duration or locating a roaming network within the roaming network time duration exceeds a likelihood of locating a suitable network within a multi-network time duration. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the previously active network connection is (i) a last network connection established by the wireless mobile device, or (ii) a last network connection established by the wireless mobile device for a prescribed period of time. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10 , wherein, the previously active network connection is (i) a last network connection established by the wireless mobile device and used to transfer an amount of data in excess of a minimum data transfer size, or (ii) a last network connection established by the wireless mobile device and characterized by a receive signal strength in excess of a minimum signal strength parameter. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the home network time duration and the roaming network time duration are determined at least in part on: (i) power consumption of the wireless mobile device or (ii) a remaining battery life of the wireless mobile device. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the wireless mobile device selects at least one of the one or more roaming networks based at least in part on a deployment density of the at least one of the one or more roaming networks at the present geographic coordinate exceeding a deployment density of at least one other roaming network of the one or more roaming networks at the present geographic coordinate. 
     
     
       18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a wireless mobile device, cause the wireless mobile device to:
 identify geographic information relating to a previously active network connection and a present geographic coordinate of the wireless mobile device; 
 determine a home search behavior or a roaming search behavior based at least in part on the geographic information; 
 execute the home search behavior, comprising a single-network search mode, to search for a home network for a home network time duration, when the wireless mobile device was previously connected to the home network for the previously active network connection; and 
 execute the roaming search behavior, comprising the single-network search mode, to search for one of one or more roaming networks for a roaming network time duration, when the wireless mobile device was previously connected to the one of the one or more roaming networks for the previously active network connection. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein execution of the instructions further cause the wireless mobile device to:
 connect to the home network upon expiration of the home network time duration, when the home search behavior successfully executes; 
 connect to the one of the one or more roaming networks upon expiration of the roaming network time duration, when the roaming search behavior successfully executes; and 
 execute a multi-network search behavior for a multi-network time duration, when the home search behavior or the roaming search behavior does not successfully execute. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the multi-network search behavior comprises searching for at least one of the one or more roaming networks based at least in part on the present geographic coordinate matching a roaming geographic coordinate of the at least one of the one or more roaming networks.